tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293037583558701661.post5012676396734362096..comments2018-05-16T10:43:21.667-04:00Comments on Ed Tech: Caffeinated: Cognitive StrategiesDana Heimlichnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293037583558701661.post-32797300809897192992013-09-22T20:41:44.258-04:002013-09-22T20:41:44.258-04:00I like how you stated that cognitive learning theo...I like how you stated that cognitive learning theory is the opposite to Behaviorism. I also agree with you that we as educators us so many cognitive learning theories everyday. Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13578637439887773795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293037583558701661.post-88022906938287652132013-09-22T17:31:43.123-04:002013-09-22T17:31:43.123-04:00I think because of the way we measure success in s...I think because of the way we measure success in school right now, there is not a place for creativity or lateral thinking. On standardized tests we ask student to perform specific tasks and use specific skills. Generally those have not required creative thinking. Students know what they have to give back to get a good score/grade and they are incredibly uncomfortable when they don&#39;t have what they consider clear guidelines. <br /><br />I remember taking a college class where the majority of the grade was based on a task (I really don&#39;t remember what it was exactly now. In my mind the teacher obviously had expectations, but would not share them. That felt to me like a set-up for failure. Perhaps your students are feeling the same. That you have an exact idea about what you want, but are refusing to tell them. <br /><br />Do you know if the elementary and middle schools in your district are using tools like concept mapping? I have to admit that it was difficult for me to grasp the idea as it was set out in the Novak article. I&#39;ve done some webbing (it&#39;s not my preferred way to brainstorm) but I had never used the relationship words, nor seen that. I tried to wrap my head around that and I think I finally did (sort of). Are you asking students to just web, or are you asking them to find relationships between the nodes as well? I find that a very high level skill and if they don&#39;t have the basic idea of webbing to begin with, it may be quite a leap to ask them to find relationships between the nodes as well. <br /><br />http://www.qideas.org/blog/the-creativity-crisis.aspx Here is an interesting blog post about declining creativity in kids. They blame is laid on technology (television, video games, internet) and education. With NCLB, standardized testing, and &quot;accountability&quot; have squeezed creativity right out of teachers lives, classrooms and students as well. I know I feel that. There is so much emphasis put on growth that is measured in a specific way, at least in our school, that kindergartners don&#39;t get to play store anymore, and elementary students barely have time for recess. <br /><br />So I think part of the problem is that schools have become so &quot;accountable&quot; that there isn&#39;t time for play, and that is the wellspring of creativity.Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04448140339937741394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293037583558701661.post-85605461424117714002013-09-21T22:34:12.549-04:002013-09-21T22:34:12.549-04:00Hi Mary,
You know, this is the first time someone...Hi Mary,<br /><br />You know, this is the first time someone has ever asked me that! <br /><br />Honestly, I am not sure. I do think that using technology (instead of fighting them to &quot;close their window to the world&quot;) is definitely helpful in terms of keeping them engaged.<br /><br />I am not, however, sure that I am seeing a lot of progress and/or a remarkable difference in the way my kids learn due to the technological tools I have been incorporating into my lessons. <br /><br />Here are my observations (which are in line with my colleagues at HCRHS): the kids seem to be able to easily absorb information and facts as though they are empty vessels that can be filled up... and they are good at rote rehearsal and memorization. However, they absolutely cannot synthesize information and actually freak out, shut down and/or generally panic whenever you ask them to make connections between concepts. <br /><br />I have, for example, maybe two students who truly understand the mindmapping/concept mapping thing. They totally get it, they are excited by it, they love doing it. Everyone else just stares at the screen asking me what I &quot;want&quot; them to write. They seem totally incapable of anything requiring imagination, creativity and/or original thought--even outright scared to engage in those things.<br /><br />I was talking to a colleague about this the other day because we are all really, really frustrated about it and it is epidemic at our school, it seems. He called it &quot;rich white district syndrome&quot; and said that he hadn&#39;t experienced the same kind of lack of creativity in other more diverse and less economically advantaged districts (I don&#39;t know what to think of that myself). And then I said I wasn&#39;t sure exactly how much progress to expect from teenagers anymore, and that I don&#39;t know where my actual job stops (teaching them these exact skills) and where their responsibility as learners begins (not having to be directly instructed on what to do for every little task).<br /><br />I would love to hear your (or anyone else&#39;s) thoughts on this if you have a reaction/feedback, etc.!Dana Heimlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04178590905815676590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4293037583558701661.post-519108766322986212013-09-21T09:33:12.522-04:002013-09-21T09:33:12.522-04:00Dana,
Do you find that using these tools has made ...Dana,<br />Do you find that using these tools has made a significant difference in how your students learn and retain information? You have been teaching a while, and I assume have not always been using so much technology. Have you seen a remarkable difference in the progress classes make since you&#39;ve incorporated so many technology based cognitive tools? Or have you been using these tools for a long time, and they were just not technology based?<br />MaryMaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04448140339937741394noreply@blogger.com